monoccular

Fabulous heartfelt article, though I am sure some here will call it spin. And RobbieF you have raised one of my hobby horses - it is largely in the head

Schultz had his hands on the defender's shoulders - should have been a free. Great leap by our Jeremy.

Colin - I hope that you are reading this - we desperately need you to do this consistently. How about having a chat with RDB???

Ben - we keep hearing that some players "don't warm to Neeld", but do we really know that? Please name names. Do you think all Collingwood players "warmed to Malthouse" or all the Cats "warmed to Thompson"?? Coaches aren't there to be nice guys or best mates, they are there to get results. Parkin, Pagan??? Dawes injection - probably an unfortunate turn of phrase in the current environment ;-)

Chappy = consistent contributor; Col = the odd flash in the pan. They are NOT the same...pity. Couldn't agree more. Anyone who doesn't put in 100% should head off to Cranbourne East.

Googled calf blood WADA and found this in the result: Actovegin The drug Actovegin was initially licensed for intravenous use to improve cellular oxygen transport to tissues in patients with arterial disease. As a gel or cream it is also used to treat slow-healing skin lesions such as burns or skin-grafted wounds. In recent years it has gained notoriety for its use by elite cyclists as a performance-enhancing drug, with the consequence that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has banned its use in competition. Actovegin is a protein-free derivative of calf’s blood, rich in electrolytes, trace elements and various organic components. It improves tissue uptake and use of glucose and oxygen; hence it can be used to improve the oxygenation and energy supply to muscles after injury. Patients receiving Actovegin injections for muscle injury resumed full sporting activity in a clinically significant reduced timescale when compared with placebo(5). Actovegin may thus be used to accelerate the healing of muscle injuries acquired through trauma or overuse.

Try this link http://www.peptidelabs.com/aod9604.html (They say) increases muscle mass so I am not surprised that it is a WADA no-no.

Dog act??!! Certainly undisciplined, but not a dog act behind the play, á la Leigh Matthews or even Barry Hall's recently disclosed mia culpa, but late high contact. reckless conduct (two points), low impact (one point) and high contact (two points). - cannot argue with that

Bert Chadwick??

I cannot answer that question, but I am certain that Lloyd and Healy never saw Coleman play. How about Bob Pratt or Cazaly?

I don't dispute the indisputable, that Robbo kicked a hell of a lot of goals. I just see Howe even now contributing more overall to the team performances in terms of not only goals kicked, but the other little things that Robbo didn't do. Robbo was a fantastic contributor but IMO, and it is an opinion, Howe should end up being a better regarded player overall. We may still differ, but isn't that what fora like this are all about?

I am sick of "potential"!! I think we all are. As the great RDB said: "You are not a champion unless you are consistent. You can have champion potential, but a true champion is on the job nine times out of ten." We have very few of these, and have had none for a long time.

Despite the fact that we have just kicked our highest ever score for a quarter, and remember we have been a dominant side in the distant past and yes there were teams then who were more crap than we are now, and more crap than GWS is now.....still some want their taste of blood. Thompson and Clarkson were also very precariously close to being sacked - supporters baying for blood in their second and third seasons, as no doubt would MFC fans in 1953 have blogged, were such around then, when a new coach called Smith guided them to (I think) last place with one win. He wasn't sacked for another 12 years, and sadly we have not recovered since from that shameful day. Take at least some solace from this record score and hold off at least a week or two from the coup.

Rule 8.2.4 d Goal Umpire Unsure If a goal Umpire is unsure whether the football crossed the Goal or Behind Line, or is Out of Bounds; the goal Umpire shall seek the assistance of the Field and boundary Umpires. If the correct decision cannot be determined following consultation, the goal Umpire shall give the lesser score. In each of these cases the goal umpire did not ask for assistance, rather the useless maggot butted in and bullied her into allowing the video review. IMVHO this amounts both to breaches of the laws of the game by officious field umpires, AND workplace bullying.

I honestly and sincerely wish I could agree with you, but I have seen so little this season to make me think that he REALLY DESPERATELY WANTS TO make the grade.

RM - we will just have to disagree.

I guess we will never really know just what Neeld said to them at the 3/4 break: could he have said just that. In a way I hope he did, takes in the result, and allows it again, even in a modified form. Probably being a bit simplistic, but ....

Howe is a far better contributor than Robbo already: Robbo was one dimensional and didn't/wouldn't/couldn't chase or offer anything defensively, nor up the field. Sure, exciting and a "good club man" but really a one trick pony. Howe on the other hand is one of very few who drag long-suffering Dee fans, and I must say some "neutrals" as well to watch MFC games. He is versatile enough to consider even if just occasionally putting him one on one in a "Pagan's paddock" especially if our forward setup isn't functioning well. LOL ;-)) Mick is 100% correct, on this occasion.

Sad thing, I really don't think he has one. And in AFL purely nice guys, who have NO mongrel at all, sink.

I suspect that you missed the irony in my question.

Surely a "great tap ruckman" would have far more taps going to our players and not just to his feet where it remains in dispute. But, he was better yesterday, hopefully due to Max's influence

It certainly appeared far more flamboyant and far less static than we have seen so far. Was this because we finally came up against less experienced opponents? Or was it, hopefully, that the group have finally found out what the plan really is and have found the confidence to use it? Time will tell.

. Dawes?? Is he still in our list?

I was particularly impressed, I think in the last Q, not by a bad fumble running into the 50 but by his second and third efforts in getting his own ball back. Gutsy stuff and a shining example to many of his colleagues.

YES, AND NO. I think his philosophy on this occasion would have been along the lines of "they pulled this one off today and should be able to soak it up themselves".